Meeting the needs of Oklahoma children in foster care – together

Foster Care

You’re probably wondering if a problem so large is really SOLVABLE.

We’ve been there, too.

But we’re happy to tell you that with two proven models and a first-of-its-kind solution, the answer is YES. Regardless of your occupation, skillset, and life stage, you have the unique ability & opportunity to impact the lives of children in foster care.

Our Kids

Our state has around 10,000 children who are in the foster care system through no fault of their own. Of these children, on any given day nearly 550 are legally-free for adoption and are waiting for their forever family. The rest of the children need a loving, safe, and supportive foster family to care for them while they wait to go home to their biological families.

When children age-out of the system at 18 without a family, they are significantly more likely to experience homelessness, crisis pregnancy, unemployment, incarceration, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and trafficking.

The Solution

The solution to this issue?

You.

It takes a village. Countless influencers from different backgrounds, with unique strengths and passions all in the same boat, and all rowing in the same direction.

Together we can give Oklahoma’s children a face, a voice, and a pathway to belonging – through reunification with their birth families, and when that’s not possible – adoption through foster care.

How It Works

With a wide-variety of influencers on board, we can combine a number of our proven methods to help meet needs within the foster care system. Since beginning work in Oklahoma, alongside numerous faith leaders, government workers, foster advocates, artists & creatives, as well as a host of generous donors, we’ve already seen amazing things happen:

The Oklahoma Fosters Campaign

America’s Kids Belong served as the spearheading partner in the launch of the Oklahoma Fosters Campaign alongside Governor Mary Fallin, The Oklahoma Department of Human Services, and other community partners.

The Oklahoma Fosters Campaign’s goal is to recruit more foster and foster-to-adopt families, as well as support for these families.

I Belong Project™

One of America’s Kids Belong’s signature programs is The I Belong Project™, which uses high quality videography to give children in foster care a face and a voice. These videos serve as individual recruitment tools for foster children who are legally-free for adoption and are waiting for their forever family.

Since launching the Oklahoma chapter of The I Belong Project™ in June of 2016, together with The Department of Human Services and Heart Gallery of Oklahoma, we have created individualized videos for dozens of Oklahoma’s children who are legally free for adoption and waiting for their forever family. To see more of our videos go to the Oklahoma Heart Gallery.

*These videos represent just a sample of the amazing Oklahoma kids we’ve had the honor of working with. We’re happy to report that some of these children have already found adoptive placements.

Discover Your Role Today!

Not everyone is called to foster or adopt. But everyone can make a difference in the life of a child in foster care.

Select Your Sphere of Influence:

Faith

Dedicate a sermon or sermon series to educate & engage your congregation around the needs of foster care

Host a “Next Steps” Dinner and Foster Certification classes at your church for prospective foster parents

Prospective Parents

Every day we meet more individuals and families who are considering taking the leap to become foster parents. We know you probably have a lot of questions and would need more answers before committing. That’s normal.

Just don’t let the fear of the unknown stop you from moving forward. Call The Oklahoma Department of Human Services today. They will walk you through the process, help answer any of your questions along the way, and assist you in determining if becoming a foster parent is a fit for you.